Postgame Avs-Blackhawks: Blown away in Windy City

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg, left, of Sweden, and Colorado Avalanche center Philippe Dupuis, right, fight for control of the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

Just a bad night all around for the visitors here. Not exactly a showing that supposedly one of the fastest, most exciting young offensive NHL teams could be proud of.

I’m not a “I told you so” kind of guy, so I’m not going to belabor the goaltending situation (and I realize that even saying “I’m not a I told you kind of guy” makes it seem like a backdoor way of being one, but really I’m not!).

Peter Budaj was just one of many overmatched players wearing the visitors’ white tonight (and, please, NHL can we go back to where the visitor wears black and the home wears white? Enough already with this).

I’m also not going to belabor and I-told-you-so about Jonas Holos and that, cough, cough, the only two games the Avs have won in two weeks included Jonas in the lineup. Or that Holos was even or plus in 13 of the 16 games he’s been allowed to play this year.

I just think tonight was Chicago’s night, no matter what, and that they showed just how far the Avs still are from being an elite team. One thing about this current Avs team though that’s starting to stand out to me and others: it seems like a bunch of guys don’t know their roles.

Is TJ Galiardi a checking forward? One game he is, like tonight, on the fourth line. Another night, he’s on the first line, expected to be an offensive player. Ditto Kevin Porter.

What, really, is Matt Hunwick’s role? Is he supposed to be a puck-rushing defenseman? If so, why is he paired with Kevin Shattenkirk a lot, who also is supposed to be a puck-rushing defenseman. Who’s the stay-at-home guy?

Why was Milan Hejduk taken off a line with Matt Duchene and Tomas Fleischmann again, when clearly those three have shown the most chemistry of any line together in recent weeks?

I’m not an NHL coach. Those guys really do know the game better than me. But I think I’ve seen enough hockey and been in enough locker rooms by now to know when something’s amiss on a team. The vibe I’m getting right now in the room is one of confusion, a sense that the much-heralded “team identity” that Sacco often preaches just isn’t there right now. Some guys seem to think the identity is one of pushing the puck, run-and-gun-and-have-some-fun. Others seem to think it means painstaking checking and attention to every defensive detail.

I was in the room tonight and it was not only very quiet, but it just seemed like guys were walking on egg shells around each other in a weird way. In a way, it seems like this team still isn’t a real unit yet. Not saying it’s a divided team like that. Just saying, there’s a lack of swagger and belief in the guy next to each other that I sense.

I really think things will improve when Chris Stewart and Cody McLeod come back. Tonight, McLeod would have started a fight tonight, guaranteed, just to bring a little emotion to the visitors’ side at least. Stewart, well we’ll let him leave the fighting to others when he comes back, which could come Friday.

But the fact is, the return of Stewart will be the equivalent of an all-star power forward being added to the Avs lineup. It’s gonna make a difference.

Let’s just hope, for the Avs’ sake, that the rest of the squad on hand can band together around him.

OK, time for 4 hours’ sleep, before 6 a.m. wheels up to Minny. I am planning to meet with Cal Clutterbuck after the Wild’s practice tomorrow. It’s a meeting that, among other things, should produce my weekly story for Sports Illustrated’s hockey page. Cal, where should I bring my finger sandwiches?